DANIELLE & CHRIS ~ ST GILES HOUSE WEDDING, DORSET

Weddings

26 Aug

A lavish country estate wedding centred around style and opulence

Danielle & Chris’s wedding at St Giles House was such an unforgettable day. The venue, the couple, the guests, the vibe were all on point. The had meticulous detail for every single part of the wedding from floristry and decor to outfits and styling. This wedding was very much a collaboration of two countries, Chris being British and Danielle bringing the Welsh heritage to the beautiful setting of St Giles House.

The day works out perfectly for couples looking for a venue where you can both get ready in the same area. As a photographer this is gold, it means I’m able to shift between both the bridal and groom party during the mornings festivities and capture as much of the atmosphere and build up as possible. Especially when I’m working on my own which in this case I was. Chris was getting ready in the very cosy backdrop of the The Riding House, situated only a stones throw from St Giles House and still part of the estate. The dimly lit lounge, accompanied with a pool table is the perfect area for a grooms party to get ready and gives very gentlemens club vibes.

Danielle was getting ready in the Japan room at St Giles House. with it’s north facing aspect it’s the perfect view for the bridal party to watch guests arrive in secret and see the grooms party arrive in all of their attire. With it’s huge windows it allows for some really beautiful soft light to flood the space too.

A really lovely father of the bride reveal concluded the morning preparations as we headed into the ceremony being held downstairs. The ceremony was really emotional and I always love it when a couple can really express how they are feeling which is exactly what Danielle and Chris did. Lots of tears and laughter too, but definitely one that will stick in my mind.

The ceremony was followed by a picturesque drinks reception on the east terrace overlooking the allée of trees towards the eastern edge of the estate and moving into the wedding breakfast the weather had turned but it gave it such a beautiful ambience to the library room with the dim flicker of candles lighting up the space. Candlelight is such a flattering light in any space and gives images so much depth and character especially when shooting people. I love the feel that candlelight brings to a scene, it always feels so homely and cosy and very much a relaxing space which is ideal for something like a wedding breakfast when the outside light is fading.

Thankfully the sun broke through the clouds at the perfect time again, I’m not sure what it is but I just seem to have this knack when the weather is unpredictable, it seems to appear for me at the perfect sunset timing and of course I won’t complain. We spent some time wandering around the ground of St Giles House for different photo opportunities while letting Danielle and Chris just relax into their married life, having a quiet 5 minutes away from their guests to enjoy and revel in what they had done. With Danielle being a model, it wasn’t difficult at all to capture some stunning portraits of the both of them as the sun set behind the house.

The energy picked back up from there, with a cocktail hour before the first dance, everyone was well watered and ready to get on the dance floor and they didn’t disappoint. The fun didn’t stop here either, just before heading down to the party piece nightclub in the basement of St Giles House, Danielle swapped into her party dress. A stunning sequinned piece that Chris was very much in awe of and rightly so! It was then a conga line with all guests involved down to the basement to continue the evening in the nightclub. What a day and what a couple!

SOME WORDS FROM DANIELLE & CHRIS.

Venue: St Giles House, Dorset

Names: Danielle & Chris May

Age: 41 & 41

Wedding Budget: £70k

Tell me how you met, all the details

We met on a drunken night out in Bournemouth ……. Our daughters went to school together and his first line to me was …. “You are the hot Mum from school!”

How did you get engaged?

After carrying the ring in his pocket for months…. Chris finally got down on one knee in Disney World in Florida after spending a few days pretending we were kids again!!

How & why did you chose your venue?

We both love Historical buildings and it was important to us to have a venue that can house our friends and family for the whole weekend, St Giles House ticked all the boxes for us!

Tell me more about your wedding dress

I didn’t have a particular style in mind when I went dress shopping, so was totally open minded. I tried on around 30 dresses in total all different styles but kept coming back to the same dress everytime. It was the only dress that made me cry when I tried it on. It was designed by Suzanne Neville. I decided on a 2nd dress very last minute! Just 2 weeks before the wedding I saw a beautiful evening gown in the window when I collected my main dress, I fell in love instantly! Bought from the same amazing dress store (Anna Bridal) I took it home the very next day!

What was the theme / styling / inspiration for your day?

Classic elegant black tie

Was there a stand out moment from your day, explain the moment?

Seeing Chris crying as I walked down the isle I’ll never forget, the speeches were incredible and we just had so much fun with the people we loved

If you were to do it again, is there anything you would change?

Absolutely not, it honestly was the most perfect day

Any tips for future couples?

Take a moment away from your guests, just you and your wife/husband to take it all in, Chris and I did this (only 10 minutes) but it really was a special moment. If anything does go wrong in the day you just have to let it go, remember your guests don’t know what to expect and you only get to do it once so just enjoy your day together rather than trying to keep your guests happy